Chapter 19
Thud!
“You found him?!”
Sook-hee slammed the table and shot up from her seat.
The coffee in her mug nearly spilled over.
As the gazes of the spirits focused on Sook-hee, Jeongjikhan spoke with a bitter smile.
“Yes, he was at the National Cemetery.”
“Ah……”
“He waited there for you for 70 years.”
Hearing he had waited in one place for 70 years, Sook-hee clutched her head and sank back into her chair.
“That… fool…”
It was hard to tell who she was talking about.
Was she berating herself for not visiting the cemetery?
Or was she addressing Lee Dong-wook, who had waited in the same spot for seven decades?
Jeongjikhan spoke with a bitter smile.
“Don’t blame yourself. Lee Dong-wook looked happy in his final moments.”
“…….”
Sook-hee’s lips trembled as she began taking ragged, uneven breaths.
She had so much to say but couldn’t find where to start.
Soon, her chest tightened, and she struck it with her right fist, tears falling like scattered pebbles.
Jeongjikhan patted her shoulder and continued.
“He was clutching the jade ring when he passed on.”
“He… he… recognized it?”
“He smiled brighter than I’ve ever seen when he saw it. Said he was grateful and could finally let go.”
Sook-hee crumpled into sobs.
“That fool…! He should’ve lived happily… moved on sooner…! Why wait 70 years in that place…? Why… why…!”
“…….”
“I wouldn’t have resented him for going first…! Why stubbornly stay…? How did he endure all that loneliness…? I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…!”
She buried her face in her hands before collapsing onto the table, weeping bitterly.
A relationship steeped in mutual longing and regret.
Unable to comprehend such profound yearning, Jeongjikhan simply patted her back until her tears subsided.
Time blurred.
When Sook-hee finally lifted her head, her eyes were swollen slits. She splashed water on her face, the stern set of her mouth belying her puffy cheeks.
Her bloodshot eyes darted restlessly as she sighed, weighed down by invisible grief.
To dispel the gloom, Jeongjikhan forced a casual tone.
“Sook-hee.”
“……Yes?”
“When I hold your hand here, nothing happens. But outside, touching another spirit caused ghost flames. Any idea why?”
The abrupt topic shift softened the worry lines on her face.
“Obviously.” She exhaled sharply. “This café’s for manifested spirits—ones who’ve passed security checks, so to speak.”
“Ah! So that’s why the flames didn’t react.”
“……Right.”
Jeongjikhan studied his palms.
“Also, Sook-hee.”
“Hmm?”
“Lee Dong-wook said he could smell your scent on my hands. How’s that possible?”
Her breath hitched.
“He… remembered my scent?”
“Yes. Though I can’t detect it myself.”
“Souls have scents.”
Souls have scents?
At his bewildered expression, she explained flatly:
“Each soul differs—weight, color, scent. You need a spirit’s eyes to see the first two, but scent…” Her voice softened. “…Only deeply connected souls recognize that.”
So while serving her coffee, her soul’s scent transferred to me?
The red thread legend surfaced in his mind—souls destined to meet, tied by an invisible string. Truth or myth didn’t matter. What mattered was their bond, strong enough to transcend scent.
Sook-hee suddenly looked small.
“I… don’t remember…”
“Hm?”
“…His scent.” Fresh tears spilled over. “I can’t recall it…”
Did I misstep by mentioning this?
Rubbing his neck, Jeongjikhan ventured:
“Don’t worry. He said he’ll wait for you up there this time—somewhere visible. Told me to reassure you.”
Sook-hee’s tears became a deluge.
“S-Sook-hee?”
“Idiot! Why does he keep making me feel guilty…?!”
“What?”
“He’s waiting again! Should’ve moved on first…! What do I even… Ughhh…!”
As Jeongjikhan floundered, a regular customer approached—a woman in her late 30s who always called Sook-hee “Unnie.”
“Unnie, don’t cry. It breaks my heart.”
“Uwaaahh!”
“Unnieee…!”
The woman hugged Sook-hee, her own face flushing crimson, and promptly burst into tears.
The café instantly resembled a wake.
From the corner, Kim Jin-seong stood, straightened his jacket, and retrieved an acoustic guitar by the entrance.
“These tears… this melody! A song for both of you!”
Jeongjikhan shook his head frantically.
Not the time for a performance…!
The comforting customer shot Kim a glare. He scratched his head, deflated, and slunk back to his seat.
Still, Jeongjikhan gave him a thumbs-up. Kim returned it with a sheepish grin.
Two men, equally inept at consolation.
At 1 a.m., patrons began rising like clockwork.
“Thanks for the drinks.”
“Thank you.”
“See you tomorrow.”
“Anytime.”
As the last customer left, Sook-hee lingered.
“Hey…”
“Yes?”
“If I’m late… will he resent me?”
She still can’t move on without news of her sibling.
Jeongjikhan stroked his chin, then beamed.
“He won’t. He was thrilled to hear you missed him too.”
“…….”
“He finally understood why you couldn’t visit the cemetery. Passed on peacefully because of that.”
“The reason…?”
“Turns out some spirits are bound to specific places. Learned that from him.”
Sook-hee nodded slowly, toying with her bangs. Was she picturing Lee Dong-wook’s face?
She tucked hair behind her ear.
“Thank you, Jeongjikhan. Wish I could repay you…”
He chuckled.
“Your gratitude’s plenty! I enjoy this work.”
“At first… I thought you were trapped here too.”
“Really? Well… it did seem that way initially. Haha!”
Scratching his sideburns, he missed her faint smile.
“You’re a good soul. When I ascend… I’ll tell the Jade Emperor about you.”
“The sentiment’s enough.”
“I mean it. You’re… really kind.”
Blushing, he rubbed his forehead. She smirked.
“Take compliments gracefully.”
“Haha! It’s… heartening.”
“Keep up the good work.”
“Safe travels home.”
Alone at last, Jeongjikhan cleaned mugs in the silent café.
Everyone carries hidden stories—regrets they bury, pasts they hide. Maybe that’s why lives feel so raw and beautiful.
Helping spirits punctuate their unfinished sentences with closure—this was his calling. The true purpose of the Café of the Dead.
Chime-chime—
The entrance bell rang at 1 a.m. sharp.
Jeongjikhan dried his hands and hurried to the counter, smile ready.
“Welcome to the Café of the Dead.”
The late-night customers still weren't opening up to Jeong Jikhan. Maybe their sadness wasn't that deep? Or was it so deep they couldn't even talk about it? The answer was unknown, but Jeong Jikhan knew what he had to do. Give the customers warm coffee, hoping it would thaw their icy hearts and give them a little comfort. Someday, when they felt better... they'd let go of their past and finally open up to him.
"Excuse me... Uncle."
While wiping a mug, someone approached and called out to Jeong Jikhan. He looked over and saw a child with just her head poking out from behind the counter. 'Ah, she's polite.' She was one of the customers who'd made a good impression. Jeong Jikhan lit up when he saw the cute child and started making a caramel macchiato. He added some latte art to make it extra special.
"Here you go, your caramel macchiato is ready."
"Wow! What is this?"
"Isn't it cute? You have such a pretty smile, so I tried to draw your face."
"Is this my face?"
"How is it? Do you like it?"
"Yes! Hehe."
The child turned the latte art around, looking at it, then said quietly, "My mom and dad would like this too if they saw it."
When she said 'mom and dad,' Jeong Jikhan looked her straight in the eyes. Then, the child smiled shyly and said, "I was in the hospital for a long time. So my mom and dad cried a lot."
Ah... So that's how she ended up at a cafe for the dead. It seemed like she passed away after a long illness. Jeong Jikhan swallowed the lump in his throat and forced a smile. And, making eye contact with the child, he asked.
"Why would your mom and dad cry so much? You have such a pretty smile."
"Ah-ha! Back then, I didn't have any hair. Now... I don't know why, but I have hair now!"
"Oh, really? Even without hair, I bet your head shape was round and pretty?"
"Mom said that too. She said my head was round and pretty."
The child smiled and played with her hair. Jeong Jikhan rested his chin on his hands and asked.
"What's your name, sweetie?"
"Uncle, I'm not a little kid! I'm in second grade, and second graders aren't little kids. You have to be in kindergarten to be a little kid."
"Oh? You're right. So, what's your name?"
"Lee Han-byeol! I'm nine years old and I was in the hospital for two years."
Two years. Two years is a really long time when you're that young. When you're that age, a day feels long, a week feels like forever, and a month feels like an eternity. If she spent two years in the hospital at that age... most of her memories would probably be of the hospital. Jeong Jikhan felt a pang of sadness and asked Han-byeol,
"Han-byeol must have been bored in the hospital."
"No! I had friends there, and my mom and dad came to see me every day, and my grandpa and uncle played with me too."
"Grandpa and uncle?"
"Yes! There was an uncle over forty years old in the bed next to me, and that uncle was a magician!"
